Part 3. Reading
From Food Scraps to a School Garden
Last spring, students at Greenhill Elementary noticed that the cafeteria threw away many fruit and vegetable scraps each day. Their science teacher explained that these scraps could be turned into compost instead of going into the trash. The students collected the scraps in special bins and mixed them with dry leaves. After several weeks, the mixture became dark, rich soil. They used it to start a small garden behind the library. By the end of the term, the students had grown lettuce, tomatoes, and herbs. The project reduced food waste and gave students a chance to study how plants grow.
Clever Octopuses
Octopuses may look very different from humans, but scientists have discovered that they are skilled problem-solvers. In laboratory studies, some octopuses have learned to open containers to reach food. In the ocean, they may carry shells or coconut halves and later use them as shelters. Octopuses can also change their color and skin pattern. This ability helps them hide from predators, but researchers believe it may also help them communicate. Scientists do not claim that octopuses think exactly as humans do. However, their behavior shows that they can learn from experience and use objects in their environment in useful ways.